


A Day in the Life of Demyx

by dancewaterdance



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Minor Character Death, Minor Demyx/Zexion (Kingdom Hearts), demyx & Larxene siblings headcannon, keykid demyx, mention of depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 02:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 10,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21719881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancewaterdance/pseuds/dancewaterdance
Summary: Word prompt one-shots that take place at random points in Demyx/Edym's life. Not in chronological order.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 40





	1. Table of Contents

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! thanks for checking out my one shots! All of them are written in the same universe just at different points in time. Some take place in Khux, some pre days, some during kh2, and some are post kh3.
> 
> This first chapter is just a glossary/table of contents. Each one of these words and their really long definitions will have a chapter. So if you want to skip to a specific definition you can. Some chapters are only a 100 words while others are a couple thousand words. I'll probably add the word count beside the definition as the chapters are posted.

• Sonder: The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.  
• Opia: The ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.  
• Monachopsis: The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.  
• Énouement: The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.  
• Vellichor: The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.  
• Adronitis: Frustration with how long it takes to get to know someone.  
• Rubatosis: The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.  
• Kenopsia: The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.  
• Mauerbauertraurigkeit: The inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends who you really like.  
• Jouska: A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.  
• Chrysalism: The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.  
• Vemödalen: The frustration of photographic something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist.  
• Anecdoche: A conversation in which everyone is talking, but nobody is listening  
• Ellipsism: A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.  
• Kuebiko: A state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence.  
• Lachesism: The desire to be struck by disaster – to survive a plane crash, or to lose everything in a fire.  
• Exulansis: The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it.  
• Rückkehrunruhe: The feeling of returning home after an immersive trip only to find it fading rapidly from your awareness.  
• Nodus Tollens: The realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore.  
• Onism: The frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at a time.  
• Liberosis: The desire to care less about things.  
• Altschmerz: Weariness with the same old issues that you’ve always had – the same boring flaws and anxieties that you’ve been gnawing on for years.  
• Occhiolism: The awareness of the smallness of your perspective.


	2. Sonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonder: The realization every passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time period is early days of the organization. Demyx is still a young teen in this fic and all characters are aged down accordingly.
> 
> Italics is for past conversations, internal thoughts, and in one instance written words. I try to make it clear which is happening each time.
> 
> Warning: Implied emotional and mental manipulation.

_You are to observe and record your findings like any other recon mission. But this time you are not to focus on the heartless._   
_What’s there to focus on other than heartless?_

_The Somebodies of course, observe them. Find out if any of them would be useful to our cause or if they have access to any assets of value._

“Assets of value.” Demyx huffs as he crosses his arms and looks out of the crowds of people. “How in the worlds am I supposed to find something like that?” At least Saix had given him an easy world to practice these new orders on. 

Twilight town was a relatively peaceful world at least inside the walls of the town. Demyx had casually travelled to the world enough times to know heartless didn’t swarm the streets when civilians were around. He had currently perched himself in a corner of the Tram Common. Demyx tries to keep himself busy by watching people walk by but he couldn’t figure out what he was looking for.

Demyx scoffs pushing off the wall. “This is pointless. No one here is going to have any “valuable information”.” He shoves his gloved hands into the cloak’s pockets and moves to walk away. _Maybe there’s something near the Struggle court._

“Woah!” He stumbles back barely avoiding a collision with 3 kids. “Hey watch it!” The 3 kids no older than ten giggle but keep running.

“Sorry about that.”

Demyx jumps spinning around to where the new voice came from. He finds a young woman with an apologetic smile on her face. It doesn’t take him long to put together she is one of those kid’s guardian.

“It’s fine. I just didn’t see them coming, that’s all.” Alarm bells ring in Demyx’s ears. Conversations with adults were to be avoided at all costs. They tend to ask more questions and had a better memory when it came to recognizing faces.

“They’re a little excited. They’ve been waiting all day for me to take them to the new ice cream shop.” The woman seems nice enough. But it’s clear she’s unknowingly leading him to a trap of casual conversation. Unfortunately Demyx doesn’t know how to probably leave a conversation quickly.

“New shop?”

“Yes a new Ice Cream shop. It’s supposed to be selling a flavor new to Twilight Town.”

“Oh, what flavor?”

“Sea Salt Ice Cream, It’s said to be very popular down at the beach front.”

Demyx blinks, he vaguely remembers the taste of that flavor. He hadn’t found it very appealing but he couldn’t remember anything more about trying it.

“Well I’m sure they’ll enjoy it. I’ll let you get back to buying their ice cream.” Demyx sees an opening to leave the conversation and is quick to try and take it.

“Would you like one?”

Confusion appears on his face. “One what?”

“Would you like to try the ice cream? I can buy you one.”

Demyx is completely surprised by the offer. This woman is a complete stranger, but after one conversation she’s offering to buy him ice cream? He almost wants to say yes. Demyx glances over to where the group of younger kids is standing under a sign debating what flavor of ice cream to get. Would there be any difference if he walked over there and joined in? 

_You are a Nobody. Somebodies are quick to notice our lack of emotions and even faster at casting us away. You are to avoid them before such a thing can occur._

Demyx sighs shaking his head no. “Thanks but I’m Lac uh lac-”

“Lactose Intolerant?”

“Yeah that.”

The woman frowns, but she doesn’t seem upset he said no. For a minute Demyx almost thinks she looks disappointed he wouldn’t be joining them. It’s then he realizes what he looks like to her. He looks like some lonely teen lurking around the commons alone. She had clocked him as a somebody.

“Sorry but I really need to go.” 

Demyx shuffles past her quickly walking in the direction they had come from. He misses her turn and raise a hand to call him back over. He misses her lowering the arm and walking over to the other 3 children. He misses her answering her son’s question.

“Who was that Mama?”

“I don’t know dear. But he seemed lost.”

He intentionally avoids people’s eyes as he walks up the twisting streets of Twilight Town. The kind woman had been unexpected. But he has the feeling he will be avoiding somebodies for a while. Every person here thought everyone else here was also a person. Why would they think differently? Nothing has taught them there is a difference yet. Demyx isn’t sure if he ever wants them to know the difference.

Demyx quietly returns to the grey room that day. His report is as lack luster as always. All that is mentioned is a new ice cream shop that had opened and that people were excited about it. But there was one extra sentence that had been written and then erased.

_Somebodies will offer things or assistance if they believe you are one of them. . . Is that Good or Bad?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes the kids are Hayner, Pence, and Olette. The unnamed female OC is one of their mothers, but since parents are never seen or described in Kingdom Hearts I kept her vague. 
> 
> This prompt only slightly fits the definition. It's when Demyx debates grabbing some ice cream and acting like a normal kid. And then it's also when he's coming to the realization that he looks normal to everyone else even though he feels like he isn't.


	3. Opia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opia – The ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say about this one. It's one of the shorter ones. Next week's is longer promise. This takes place just before kh3 or just before DDD. It's the first time Demyx meets Old Master Xehanort. Which surprisingly I've never written out before.

“So. . . you are Demyx.”

Demyx stands rim rod straight, for once making sure not to slouch. “Yes sir.”

The man before him was old but clearly still powerful. Demyx has to stop himself from shivering as the man looks up and down, inspecting him. Eventually Yellow eyes lock with his own now yellow eyes. It's clear he is looking for something, but Demyx doesn’t know what.

Eventually he must find it. The man gives a small nod before looking away.

“Good.” Demyx doesn’t know what's good about any of this. “You were loyal to Xemnas and I will expect the same loyalty now. Do I have it?” 

Those yellow eyes lock with his once again as he slowly nods. “Yes, Master Xehanort.”

Xehanort smiles and it makes Demyx feel worse than the fake smiles he has seen from Xemnas in the past. “Very good.”


	4. Monachopis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monachopsis: The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My thoughts on what happened after Demyx's last cutscene in kh3. We now know he's going to show up after this point in the DLC. But that information doesn't affect this scene. 
> 
> Demyx does use everyone's Organization names in this. Ienzo didn't correct him in the cutscene and since this happens a few seconds after. No one has had time to sit him down and tell him all their Somebody names. In later one shots he will switch to the proper names. Demyx calls Ansem the Wise, "new" Ansem in this. Alluding to the fact that before this the only Ansem he would have known of was Ansem SoD.

Things moved quickly after Demyx pointed out the replica to Zexion. Lexaeus and Xaldin walked over and moved the replica to a chair that looked like a mix of a computer chair and a dentist chair. Zexion rushed back to the computer he had been working at when Demyx first arrived. The new Ansem followed and the two started a rushed conversation about data and memories and hearts. A conversation Demyx couldn’t possibly follow.

Once the replica was in the chair Xaldin moved to stand in the doorway and Lexaeus started plugging things into the chair. Demyx could only assume he was connecting it to the computer Zexion was working at. It was strange to look at what was currently just a mannequin and think about how soon it would be walking around as a perfect copy of Roxas’ old body.

Demyx is pulled out of his thoughts by someone calling his name a few times. He jumps slightly before turning to look at Zexion. “Uh sorry didn’t hear that.” The new Zexion or Zexion’s Somebody doesn’t seem too mad that he wasn’t paying attention which was a nice change.

“Did Vexen tell you how many other replicas he was currently making?”

“Uh I don’t know. He’s made a lot of them. He was just finishing with the Riku one he had made in Castle Oblivion when I left. But Xemnas personally asked for one more replica to be made at the last minute. It’s why I couldn’t bring one for Namine like he had been planning.”

“Hm I see. We will just have to hope Vexen has time to make and set one aside later then. I’m afraid we don’t have the proper equipment here to make one ourselves. Even with a replica base to study the workings of.”

“I fear we do not have time for such investigations. Roxas must be revived as soon as possible if he is to help his friends in the coming battle.”

Demyx glances over when Ansem starts talking. He’s still not clear on how this guy knows Roxas. But he’s apparently the reason they can bring Roxas back at all.

“Of course Master Ansem.” And with that Zexion and Ansem turn back around to face the computer. Demyx sighs as they return to talking about things he doesn’t understand.

He turns to see Lexaeus finishing with the chair and walk over to where Xaldin was standing. The two quietly mutter before Lexaeus steps towards Zexion. He places a hand on Zexion’s shoulder before silently gesturing towards the door. 

Zexion smiles slightly before nodding. “Alright I’ll let you know if there’s any changes or if we require your assistance.”

Demyx watches the two silent giants leave the lab. Zexion and Ansem quietly get back to work and Demyx just stands awkwardly in the corner. What was he even doing here at this point? Vexen and he had agreed he shouldn’t return to the organization after stealing the replica and Ansem’s prisoner the other Ansem. But there was nothing he could do to help here. He told Vexen he wasn’t a scientist and there wasn’t anything else that needed to be done until Roxas was brought back. Demyx felt useless and for once that was bothering him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course we know he finds something to do and that's grab Namine's body. But yeah sorry this chapter was a day late. Ended up working Saturday night and so couldn't upload.


	5. Enouement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enouement – The bitter sweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter needs a lot of explaining so please read this! This chapter shows the bare bones of three different theories I have. One being that Xemnas found Demyx since Demyx would have been the first Nobody outside of the Radiant Garden Group. Two that the Secret Mansion holds data Daybreak Town in its mainframe since the real Daybreak Town is destroyed and under water. This includes the idea that the Nobody keykids were found here. And three that Master Ava had a secret job for Demyx and that's why we haven't seen him in khux yet. I do also use my theorized somebody name Edym in this chapter.
> 
> Spoiler Warning! This chapter references things from the most recent Khux update. Most of this chapter was written before that update. But I did add a few things to make it line up with that more.

Edym sighs as he steps off the gummiship he had borrowed. His memories had only just returned a week ago. But he felt it was important he came here first. It was the place where one chapter of his life ended and the other chapter began. As he looks at the familiar worn red bricks an almost fond smile appears on his face.

Edym steps through the rusted gate and into the over grown courtyard of the Old Mansion. The last time he had been here Xemnas had found him huddled in the basement trying to fight off heartless. He had gotten the name Demyx then. Demyx had been so concern with protecting the place at the time. But he hadn’t known why. Now Edym knows.

Master Ava had chosen five Dandelions to lead the others to safety. She even secretly chose one to break them out of the data world if things went wrong. Master Ava did everything she could to help her Dandelions defy fate. She went as far as going against the Masters orders and giving the Book to the wrong Union Leader. But there was one last thing she did, one last child she picked, Edym. His job was to make sure the computer holding all the data for Daybreak Town was never destroyed. If anyone came and started messing with the computer he was supposed to wake up first and protect it. 

But things didn’t go according to Master Ava’s plan. Luxu, who later became Xigbar, gained access to the computer. He followed the Masters orders and closed the doors to Data Daybreak Town. The Dandelions couldn’t leave. They didn’t even know they were trapped. Edym hadn’t known he was trapped. His memories had been wiped like the other wielders that weren’t Union Leaders. He still would have been able to protect the computer. Master Ava had made it to where everyone was supposed to regain their memories once they left the data world, but even more things had gone wrong. Thanks to a certain Dark Fae.

When Edym finally woke up from leaving the data world, centuries had past and his memories were still scattered. It had been all too easy for a lost and confused Edym to be pulled under Xemnas’ wing and into the Organization. Ever since Edym had been going the wrong way, following the wrong path.

Edym pauses at the unicorn statue before pushing the hidden button underneath it. Master Ira was supposed to keep everything together. He was supposed to prevent the Keyblade war. But no one could prevent fate; even Master Ava had failed to.

He turns at the sound of the hidden barrier dropping. A set of old metal stairs are revealed to be hiding under the floor of the library. Edym walks down the stairs and glances at the corner he had huddled in so many years ago.

He had been holding a metal pipe in his hands, ready to defend himself from whomever or whatever came down those stairs. Edym never could have imagined who eventually walked down those stairs. Xemnas had been so foreboding, the man had towered over him even more back then. Xemnas spoke and Edym foolishly listened.

"Should have hit him with the pipe."

It wouldn't have changed anything. Edym nor Demyx were ever strong enough to take Xemnas in a fight. Demyx was destined to walk out those doors with Superior that day. At least that's what Edym tells himself to feel better. The truth was Edym had been alone and terrified, he was looking for direction and Xemnas had offered it.

Edym shakes his head, pulling himself out of his memories. He walks past the corner and through the door on the far end. The computers are on in the main room. Ienzo had told Edym about how some of the local kids had been using the terminal to learn things about Roxas and the Data Twilight Town. He didn't like it but if even Ansem the Wise couldn't figure out this computer’s secrets it was unlikely some random kids could.

Edym sits in the computer chair and gets the strange feeling it's smaller than it should be. The last time he had been in this chair a woman in pink had been standing over his shoulder. Master Ava had walked him through a few things on the screens; she had shown him a few fun tricks and some emergency procedures. 

_"Are you sure I need to know all of this? What's the point if I'm just going to forget all of it anyway?"_

_"You never know, this information might be helpful when you regain your memories."_

Edym pops his fingers before getting to work. He closes all the files and programs the local kids had been running. It looks like they had been working on some sort of video game. He also disconnects from the D.T.D. servers in Radiant Garden. Edym didn't need any nosy AI's or Ienzo's checking in on his work.

Once all the settings are changed he shuts down the computers entirely. Edym waits ten seconds before booting everything back up again. As the computer is loading and trying to log into Diz's old settings Edym types in a special code. The screen pauses as a text box pops up. It asks for a second password and he types it in too.

**. . . Loading . . . DDT**

Edym slumps back in the computer chair relieved. His old passwords still worked. If Xigbar had changed the codes he would have been screwed. But no one alive was supposed to know them so Luxu hadn’t bothered. He waits as a completely different user account opens. Instead of going to the main screen it immediately boots up the data world.

A familiar fountain surrounded by cobblestone loads on screen. The data based water starts flowing from the fountain and Edym is nearly brought to tears. 

"It's still here. It's all still here."

No people spawn in. It's just the empty courtyard with sunlight slipping between the buildings. But it was enough for Edym. He knew the real Daybreak Town was destroyed at the bottom of a lake and that the Dandelions that had been in Data Daybreak Town were long gone. Brain had done his job and they had been freed. But seeing a small part of home was still comforting.

"I wonder if my old bed room is still in here."

Edym switches camera angles, moving through different districts until he finds the right building. The cameras in the lodgings were locked to only show the common room and kitchen. But it doesn't take Edym long to find and over ride that code.

Finally the computer loads a familiar childhood bedroom. The desk was still covered with late school work. His bookshelf was covered with more items than books. Mostly cool drift wood from the times he visited the beach as a kid and a few marine based animal figures. He couldn't read the covers from here but Edym remembered most of the small collection of books being music score books. 

His bed wasn't made with half his waves covered blanket lying on the floor. Edym's plush shark wasn't on his pillow instead it was hidden in his closet. Edym vaguely remembered the reason being that the older boys in the dorm had decided 12 was too old to still sleep with a stuffed animal and had made fun of one of the other boys for it. He also remembered as the war drew closer stuff like that stopped mattering. The last night Edym had slept in this room it had been with Mr. Sharky in his arms.

Edym sighs, nostalgia nearly overwhelming him. Things had been so uncertain in those last few days, both in the real and fake Daybreak. There was no possible way he could have foreseen himself waking up hundreds of years in the future. It had been a long journey, the 10 years getting distracted serving the side of darkness hadn't helped. But here he was back where it all started and finally on the side of light once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that little what if. I honestly debated not posting this chapter. Since I know a future khux update or the kh3 DLC will disprove something in here. But I decided to post it anyway just to see how much I get wrong.
> 
> My favorite little bit in this is the Radiant Garden mainframe being DTD Door to Darkness and Daybreak's mainframe being DDT Data Daybreak Town. I don't know it being the same letters is just cool to me. Especially with how KH is with moving around letters in names.
> 
> Yes I made Demyx good with computers don't @ me. It's a random ass theory based on that one chapter in the manga where he casually broke into Saix's computer to type poems in word. That's it, that's my evidence. It's just a fun little theory since literally none of the keykids except Brain have shown any computer skills. Which is something needed to escape a data world.


	6. Vellichor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vellichor – The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this chapter early because it's super short. Plus the next chapter is one I'm excited to share and didn't want to have to wait a week to do it.

There was one shop that was Edym’s favorite to visit in Daybreak town. He had ignored many a moogle to save up his munny to buy things from that store. It was the Daybreak town book store. It had books from all the realms.

But what Edym loved the most was all the music books. He had learned at the young age that the different realms had different ways they wrote music. Some areas used instruments that could only be found in that area. The Daybreak Book Shop had the largest variety of music sheets around.

On days when new books were coming in Edym would wake up early and go to the shop before meeting up with his friends to go on their missions for the day. The shop keep had gotten to know Edym well over the months he lived in Daybreak Town.

The old man would open the shop to find Edym waiting on his door step. He’d chuckle as he’d watch Edym hurry to the music section.

 _“It was nice to have such a bright boy interested in music.”_ The shop keep would think. It was important to have people that not just wanted to protect, but also wanted to create.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used this chapter as an excuse to write about an adult in Daybreak town. They existed even if they didn't transfer over to Data Daybreak Town. Also just because Demyx doesn't know a lot about science doesn't mean he can't be smart in other ways. Having a sitar as his go too instrument definitely suggests he's well versed in different styles of music.
> 
> Anyway see you Saturday! And happy New Year's!


	7. Adronitis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adronitis – Frustration with how long it takes to get to know someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Today's chapter goes back to the Demyx and his computer skills subject. This time it directly references The Castle that Never Was' computer system. 
> 
> Anyway this is the first Demyx and Ienzo bonding chapter so I hope you guys enjoy it! Please note this chapter is supposed to be read as platonic and a friendship but it can be seen as the build up to the ship if you want to read it that way.
> 
> Chapter Warnings: Allusion to a panic attack and mention of past abusive behavior.

Demyx had messed up. He knew he messed up and it made him feel horrible and anxious. Sure it wasn't his biggest screw up, but it was one of his first since joining the "good" guys. Maybe he could just hide it and hope no one noticed?

"Demyx? What are you doing in here?" While lost in his thoughts he hadn't noticed a person walking up behind him.

Demyx jumps quickly spinning around to face the voice. "Zex!-Ienzo! I didn't expect you to be here. . . yet."

Ienzo raises an eyebrow at Demyx's strange behavior. He tries to subtly glance around Demyx's body to try and see what the other was trying to hide. "This is the lab, Demyx. Where else would I be?"

"I thought you'd be at lunch with uh Ansem. He mentioned it this morning."

Ienzo frowns glancing away. "The meal ended quickly. There wasn't anything that needed to be discussed."

Demyx internally panics more. Its clear lunch didn't go well and Ienzo was already in a bad mood. Once Ienzo finds out what Demyx had done. He would become the focus of Ienzo's frustration. Demyx really wishes he had been able to hide the evidence.

"But that is unimportant. Demyx what happened? What are you hiding behind your back?"

"Me? Hiding? Nothing! I'm not hiding anything!"

". . . Right, well I need to use that computer terminal. So if you could move." Ienzo steps forward planning to finally see what Demyx was hiding and hopefully get back to work.

"This terminal? Are you sure you need to use _this_ one? Maybe. . . maybe you could use Vexen's! I'm sure it's a way faster computer."

"Demyx. Even, is using Even's terminal. It would hinder our work flows to share a terminal. Also all my files are on this one. Now would to please move."

Demyx glances around nervously. He can't think of another reason for Ienzo to not use the computer. At this point stalling was just adding to Ienzo's irritation. Reluctantly Demyx steps aside to let Ienzo see the screen.

"What happened here?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'msorryI'm-" Demyx starts rapidly repeating his apology.

Ienzo ignores him. He's too busy clicking through menus and files.

"Demyx did you do this?"

"I'm so sorry Ienzo. I thought I just did the changes to the account you gave me. But it updated the whole computer! A-and I don't know if it updated the server too. But I swear I can fit it before Vex-Even turns off and on his computer and it affects him too."

Ienzo only vaguely hears part of Demyx's explanation. He was busy multitasking by opening up the computers main code, trying to figure out what exactly Demyx did. What Ienzo found impressed him. It was no secret that the Radiant Garden computer mainframe was a decade out of date. Demyx hadn't been able to change that. But he had imported in some of the old code used on the computers in the Castle that Never Was. 

"You updated the display code and file organizer." Not only that Demyx had edited the display code so it fit radiant garden and wasn't just the CTNW computer color pallet.

"I know, I'm sorry, I can change it all back."

"Why are you apologizing?" It's then Ienzo looks over and finally realizes how panicked Demyx still is. Ienzo feels foolish for not noticing how close Demyx was to a panic attack sooner.

"Because, because I changed it an-and it's your computer. And your stuff's in new places, and and you hate your stuff being moved. But-but I swear I can fix it Ienzo. I promise it won't happen again and-"

"Demyx I'm not mad."

"W-what? But your files and-"

"I was planning to sit down and reorganize them soon anyway. And I would have updated the displays myself if I had remembered or still had access to the old code." Ienzo gently places a hand on Demyx's shoulder. He considers it a success when Demyx doesn't flinch away.

Demyx takes a deep breath trying to collect his breathing. "Y-you're really not mad?"

"No I am not. You did a good job Demyx. I am happy you did this."

That finally causes Demyx's shoulders to slump with relief. Ienzo keeps his hand on Demyx's shoulder until he seems to calm down. He thinks hard while waiting. Ienzo struggles to figure out what had set Demyx off and caused him to panic so much. Ienzo hadn't displayed any anger while checking the display had he?

 _"Because I changed it." "You hate your stuff being moved."_ Ienzo's eyes widen has he puts together what happened.

"Demyx. . . You know I'm not like Zexion correct?" Ienzo looks at Demyx with an almost sad expression. "I won't get mad at you for making small mistakes. I know you're trying and I certainly won't get mad at you for trying to improve something around here."

Demyx breaks eye contact with Ienzo while the other speaks. At the end he just quietly nods. Knowing Ienzo and Zexion were two different people and expecting Ienzo to react how Zexion would were two completely different things.

“It’s like I have to get to know you all over again.”

Ienzo looks away, for the first time feeling bad about how Zexion had treated Demyx in the past. "I'm sorry that was the me you had to experience. But this is who I really am. When I have a heart and the chance to make my own choices." Ienzo sighs. "Would you be willing to trying again?"

Demyx blinks. He had never really thought about it. Does he want to get to know this new Zexion? Ienzo was certainly nicer than Zexion. Maybe they could even become friends this time.

"I'm willing to try if you are. I can't say I've changed as much as you, but I am trying. And I promise to not be as lazy as I was."

Ienzo chuckles. He's relieved to hear Demyx's answer. "I'm sure that's a goal you can reach Demyx." He glances at the computer screen again. "But once again thank you. The update is appreciated."

Demyx smiles scratching the back of his head. "Uh you're welcome."

"But I am curious Demyx. Where did you find this code to copy it over? I was under the assumption the old computer had been destroyed."

"I um may or may not have copied the code onto a flash drive at one point."

"Really? Well that's convenient. What did you need the source code for?"

"To uh." Demyx looks away slightly embarrassed. "To figure out how to break into Saix's computer after he changed the password."

Ienzo blinks and then laughs. Demyx had not expected to hear Ienzo laugh.

"It's not that funny."

"I apologize. It is just ironic how much effort you put into something you are actually interested in."

"Don't tell Isa. Saix never figured out how I kept getting into his computer and I'd sort of like to keep it that way."

Ienzo smiles, but stops himself from laughing. "Deal. But only if you tell me how much of this code you actually understand. I'm curious."

Demyx sighs, "deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope what happened computer wise made sense. I bullshitted like half of it. Basically in kh2 we see the datascape on the Radiant Garden computer and then the data Twilight Town. Comparing the two makes it very clear how out of date the Radiant Garden computer is. The Castle that Never Was' computer is the one Vexen and Zexion have been updating for the last 10 years. Basically Ienzo went from using a Windows 10 all the way down to a Windows XP or Windows 7. 
> 
> Can you fit a computer's base code on a flash drive? I don't know, but Demyx doesn't have like all the data files or reports that were on the old computers. He just has the code that makes the desktop look the way it does. How does this help him get around using a password to get into Saix's account? I don't know. Nor do I know why Demyx went through all this trouble when he could have used one of the other countless terminals in the castle. Other than that he's just a little shit like that sometimes.


	8. Rubatosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rubatosis – The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.

Edym had tried to ignore it. He kept telling himself it was normal. Normal people had heartbeats. Normal people could ignore the sound of their heartbeat for most of their day. But Edym had long ago accepted he wasn’t like normal people. Why would this be any different?

He had gotten his heart back a few days ago. At first Edym had been excited overjoyed at the feeling of his long lost heartbeat. But the feeling of it in his chest hadn’t settled. Hours later and he could still feel it. The thud thud thud of an organ he had lived without for over a decade. The sound did not lessen. In fact it almost became migraine inducing.

Edym didn’t mention it to the others. They had regained their hearts much sooner than him. Surely none of them would struggle with something as silly as this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short and sweet. A longer one on Saturday.


	9. Kenopsia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenopsia – The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are ways to play kh2 and have Xaldin die first. I know canonically Demyx is the first org member that's supposed to die in kh2. But I couldn't really get this to work if Demyx was dead XD

Demyx sat in a silent grey room. He didn’t bother breaking the silence with his Sitar. He was too lost in his own thoughts for that. They had just gotten the report that Xaldin was dead. Killed by Sora, Roxas’ somebody. 

Axel was gone, labeled a traitor. It probably wouldn’t be long until someone was sent to finish him off. That would leave just himself, Luxord, Saix, Xigbar, and Xemnas left. No wonder the grey room was abandoned and silent. 

Demyx sighs slumping on the couch. Was Xemnas’ plan even going to work at this point? And if it did was it even worth it? So many of his friends had died and for what? A Secret plan Xemnas never bothered to fully tell to anybody?

“Maybe Axel was right.” Maybe this place was a sinking ship and he should get out now. Before there was no one left but him. Or was it too late to get out?

“Demyx.”

Demyx jumps up from slouching on the couch. He’s surprised to see the Superior of all people enter the room.

“Uh yeah boss?”

“Saix has been sent to deal with the traitor and collect the princess of heart he has been harboring.” So that was why the castle was so empty. Demyx and Xemnas were literally the only ones in it currently. Luxord was dealing with those pirates and Xigbar was off hunting down that imposter that had been bugging the organization for over a year. 

“I have a job. That requires your. . . expertise.” And with that Xemnas turned and started walking out of the grey room.

“Oh uh okay.” Demyx shuffles to his feet quickly realizing he was supposed to be following Xemnas. “Where are we going?” Where would Xemnas possibly need Demyx’s help?

“To an old base now occupied by the light. There is research there that cannot be left in their hands.”  
Infiltration and pick up, Demyx could do that. “Alright, I won’t fail this time boss.”

Xemnas glances at Demyx out of the corner of his eye. “No, I don’t think you will.” Xemnas doesn’t elaborate from there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of thoughts about Hallow Bastion alright? Final Mix shows Xemnas walking down into the chamber of repose while everyone is out fighting the heartless. Demyx is the only one on world with him. Implying he brought Demyx along. Saix doesn't show up until way later on the tail of Axel. And since we learn Saix stole Kairi we can assume Saix only showed up because Axel was racing there to tell Sora that Saix had Kairi.
> 
> Basically the "looks it's the Ansem that is actually Xemnas!" scene happens after Xemnas has already left the chamber. Which happens after Demyx's death. Demyx and the heartless were the distraction to get everyone to leave the computer room since that's literally where everyone was before the fight started. Demyx just didn't live through his fight with Sora.


	10. Mauebauertraurigkeit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends who you really like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting today since I'll be super busy with remind stuff on Saturday. Please note all these one-shots were written before remind came out. So all one-shots will be spoiler free!
> 
> POV change half way through this one to Isa.

“Hey guys.” Demyx waves as he walks down the castle steps towards the group walking up the stairs. 

Lea is the first one to notice him and wave back. “Hey Demyx!” 

Roxas, Xion, and Isa looking over at the greetings. Xion and Roxas smile and wave too. While Isa remains neutral, which isn’t a glare, so it’s an improvement.

“You guys here to talk to the nerds?”

“Yeah Ienzo had something he wanted our help with?” Roxas didn’t seem to sure of that being the only reason they were there. But Lea quickly nods in agreement.

“Oh right Ienzo’s project. He said your magic should help him test a few things out.” Demyx keeps walking down the stairs and continues past the group.

“You’re not staying?” It’s the first time Xion’s spoken and it causes Demyx to pause and look at her.

“Uh no, I already have plans, sorry. I didn’t know Ienzo was inviting you over today.” It’s clear Demyx is now debating if he should just stay.

Lea steps forward, running a hand through his hair while looking a little sheepish. “We sort of planned this last minute. Go do what you need too.”

Demyx takes the opening with a small nod of thanks. “I’ll be back before you guys finish.” 

“It was good to see you again, Demyx.” 

Demyx startles as he looks over at Isa. Slowly a smile forms and he nods. “Right.” With one more wave farewell he finishes his walk down the steps and into the plaza.

* * *

“We saw Demyx on our way in.”

“Oh really? Was he heading somewhere?”

“Figured you already knew where. He said he had something to do.”

Ienzo hums for a moment not commenting right away. He doesn’t look angry or really that surprised, just slightly frustrated. Lea honestly wasn’t surprised either. It certainly wasn’t the first time Demyx had skipped out on working on something.

“Odd, he did not mention anything being urgent this morning.”

“Does he do this often?” Isa inquires, stepping into the conversation.

Ienzo glances over but answers. “No more than is to be expected, I believe.”

Lea shrugs, crossing his arms and leaning against a table. “Demyx never really liked staying on one world for too long. He’s probably just bored.”

“Socializing tends to alleviate boredom. The fact that he left pokes holes in your theory.” Lea raises an eyebrow at Isa’s rebuttal.

“So he’s not bored. Does it really matter what he’s up too? We’re not his keepers.”

“No we are not. But I have my doubts about Demyx being “up too” something. If he was causing a disruption the Restoration Committee would have mentioned it.” Ienzo firmly believes Demyx is not up to anything mischievous. But he can’t help but be curious about what the other was doing outside the castle every day.

“So he is avoiding everyone, but not actually doing anything while alone.” Isa frowns. He was starting to get an idea of what was happening. But he wasn’t going to point it out unless the other two seemed to be putting it together. It was Demyx’s place to come forward if he was having issues, not Isa’s.

"I'm sure he's doing something Isa." Lea doesn't get why Isa's trying to make a thing out of this.  
Ienzo glances between the two of them. He was struggling to find the point of this conversation. "Yes in all likelihood he is simply down in the fountain court practicing."

Isa freezes, tensing slightly. No one else in the room has a negative reaction to Ienzo's answer. It wasn't a surprise to hear Demyx hung out in a place filled with water. "Do you let him travel there alone often?"

Ienzo's eyes narrow. "Contrary to what you may believe, Demyx does help around here when needed. What he does in his free time has nothing to do with him skipping work." Lea is looking at Isa through all of this. Isa's body language had changed and Lea couldn't put together why.

"I was not trying to imply he wasn't pulling his weight." Isa relaxes his expression slightly but still looks put off. He felt like it wasn't his place to tell but now they were expecting some form of explanation from him. "It is harmful to Demyx's mental state for him to constantly be by that side of the Bailey."

"Bailey?" Roxas suddenly butts into the conversation. He and Xion had been in their own conversation ignoring most of what the others were talking about. Waiting for data to compute on the computers could be very boring at times. For some reason that word was familiar to him. "Bailey as in the city wall?"

Isa's eyes narrow, but it's not a glare. He seems to be debating his answer, trying to judge Roxas' reaction to the term.

"Yes." It's Lea who makes the decision for him by answering Roxas.

"The fountain court is connected to the water plant which is between this castle and the outer wall. Or Bailey as Isa had called it." Ienzo's elaboration made Isa even more certain it was a bad place for Demyx to be. 

"Huh the restoration committee headquarters is by the bailey from what I remember." Roxas didn't have all the memories from his time inside Sora, but Sora had visited the committee so many time Roxas could lead the way to the headquarters without really thinking about it.

"But Isa why would it be harmful? Did something happen?" Ienzo was quick to steer the conversation back on track. He was quickly growing concerned about something apparently Isa knew but he didn't.

Isa sighs, glancing over at the computer terminal before turning back to see everyone's eyes on him. He decides to focus on Lea. Even though Lea was also confused he was the most understanding when it came to Isa struggling to put things into words.

"Isa." Lea places his hand on his friends shoulder. "What happened?"

"It was after Axel had left the organization. Superior had. . . Xemnas had assigned me to trailing you. Making sure you didn't interfere with his plans for Sora. I was busy following you and most of the others were still out on assignment on certain worlds. Xemnas decided he needed intell from here, from Hollow Bastion."

". . . He sent Demyx." Isa nods. 

"I believe the committee named the event, the battle for Hollow Bastion." Lea curses and Isa flinches away. 

"I should have put it together sooner." Lea mutters. "I never did see him running around after that."

"After what?" Ienzo steps in still incrediably confused. "The committee explained only some of the battle to us. After they defeated the heartless this world was restored back into Radiant Garden. But they only mentioned heartless. What does Demyx have to do with any of it?"

"The heartless were a distraction. Xemnas wanted access to that computer. He had Demyx start a battle big enough to draw all the heroes out of the castle."

Roxas interrupts the conversation to curse himself. Lea frowns. "Hey I know I just did it a little while ago but, language!"

"Sorry." Roxas mutters. "But the explosion. Isa are you saying Demyx caused _that_?" 

"He was instructed to destroy enough of the wall to let the heartless swarm in, so yes."

"Roxas you remember?" Xion looked surprised and a little hurt. She remembered nothing after she was absorbed back into Sora. But Roxas hadn't settled until Sora had beaten him in the mindscape. Roxas had seen more than her as a result.

"Only bits and pieces, but that battle was where Goofy got hurt really badly. It really upset Sora and-" Roxas' hands ball into fists and he curses again.

"Roxas!" Lea's scolding goes ignored as Roxas lifts his head and locks eyes with Isa.

"Down, on the other side of the bailey. That was where Sora fought Demyx wasn't it?"

Isa sighs before slowly nodding. Ienzo gasps finally putting together what happened.

"Demyx lost. He lost to Sora right here, in Radiant Garden." Ienzo now understood Isa's concern.

"Demyx used the water in the tanks in the plant to blow up a chunk of the bailey and when Sora ran out they ended up fighting. Demyx was destroyed during that fight." 

A silence falls over the room once Isa finishes. They had all dealt with the experience of being destroyed and reformed. For a moment they were all lost in their own thoughts and memories. And if Lea happened to glance over at Ienzo, well no one was paying enough attention to notice.

"Why is Demyx returning to a place where he was hurt?" It's Xion's quiet voice that finally breaks the silence.

"I don't know Xion." Isa himself struggles to understand it. It seemed to be an entirely irrational act.

"Because he's still hurting." Everyone looks over at Lea. "Look sometimes you hurt for so long you stop trying to fix it and that's when you tend to unintentionally do things that only make the hurt worse." Isa looks away. Maybe he did understand why Demyx was doing what he was doing.

"So how do we help him?" As far as Roxas was concerned Demyx was their friend and he couldn't stand leaving a friend alone when they're in need of help.

"It's hard to say. Demyx has already made the decision to push us away. It might be hard to get him to confide in us." Ienzo seems hurt as he says it. He had thought Demyx and he had been making progress on the friendship front. But apparently Demyx didn't feel the same way.

"All we can do it be there for him. Let him know we're here if he needs someone to talk to and if he does ask for help, help him as much as we can."

Isa nods in agreement of Lea's answer. "There is only so much we can do if he doesn't want to help himself. We can't make him get better. We can only make the process easier." Isa was almost talking from experience. Saix for so long had avoided help from anyone. It wasn't until he admitted to himself that things were wrong that his was able to start making changes to fix things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there were errors this was hastily edited. Theory here is that the reason Xemnas needed Demyx last chapter was so there could be a large enough distraction for Xemnas to use the computer. Since the water plant is on that side and we heard one loud explosion before the heartless swarmed in. It's not hard to theorize Demyx blew up one of the tanks.


	11. Jouska

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jouska – A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This is late cause of Remind obviously. But there's no remind spoilers in here! I used this prompt to experiment with my writing a little. There's no verbal dialogue in this. Instead it's just Demyx's thoughts as he goes through a mission. I hope you guys find it interesting.

_No, no, no_. Demyx was internally panicking as he watched the item that was the target of the mission go up in flames. What was he supposed to do now? _If I go back now they’ll surely tan my hide._

  
Saix will be all like. _“Demyx where’s the book.”_ And Demyx would have to be like. _“ha aaaah funny store about that. They sort of uh burned it.”_

  
_“They burned the thousand year old sacred text?”_

  
_“Yeah.”_ And then they’d both stand in silence for a few moments. Saix would glare and Demyx would swear the guy could feel things if only by how angry he’d look down at Demyx.

  
He’d be like. _“No. IX you had one job. Retrieve the ancient books of spells. Even you shouldn’t have been able to mess it up. And yet here you are, returning empty handed from a mission once again.”_

  
Demyx groans as he tugs on his hair, pulling himself out of his thoughts. _Maybe I can still fix this._

  
He starts moving to where the fire was dying down. Most of the somebodies had fled when the building went up in flames. There was no one around to notice him put out some of the fire with his water magic and slip inside.

  
The buildings structure wasn’t exactly stable. Demyx would have to be careful and ready to portal out at any second if the place started collapsing. He quickly glances around looking for any sign of the book. _Come on it’s gotta still be here somewhere._ The metal cover at the very least. The fire hadn’t been that hot, just big and fast.

  
Demyx continues farther in, putting out fires as he goes. The smoke was still fairly thick and it pulled a few coughs from his throat. He glances at the tables trying to figure out which one he had seen the book on through the window earlier.

_Aha! This one!_

  
He hurries over and puts out the fires on and around the table. Demyx doesn’t wait to dry everything before digging through the piles of debris. He starts to lose hope. Maybe it really had been destroyed and he has just been digging through the ashes of it.

  
A beam falling from the second story interrupts his search. It drops sending up a fresh flurry of smoke, sparks, and fire. Demyx jumps away from the falling beam coughing. _Shit!_ He looks at just how big the beam is while covering his face with his arm. _That thing could have pinned me! I need to get out of here._

  
The book was a lost cause. He was just going to have to deal with Saix’s “not” glare and “not” anger. If Demyx stayed here much longer he might not return at all. _Turned into a dusk by a falling building. What a way to go._ Demyx could already picture Axel laughing at the report.

  
As he’s summoning the portal needed to leave something glints in his eyes. Demyx at first assumes it’s just more sparks. But he glances over and is surprised to see metal. On the other side of the flaming beam lay the magic book, flames licking at the corners of its pages. Demyx grins glancing around for a way to get over to it. _Maybe I haven’t failed._

  
Demyx confirms the only way over is to jump over the burning beam. He’d have to be extremely careful. The beam had already smashed half way through the floor and Demyx wasn’t too keen to find out if this place had a basement. Unfortunately the instability made it unsafe to put out the fire with his water magic. There was too great of a risk of the force causing the floor to collapse. 

  
_Can’t let the floor collapse until after I’m holding the book._ If he had to fall so be it. But it wouldn’t do him any good if the book landed somewhere else in the dark once he landed.

  
Demyx shakes himself off, prepping his nerves for what he was about to do. He takes a step back and judges how high he’s going to have to jump. He lets out one breath and lunges.

  
He lands in a roll, one hand reaching out and grabbing the book. While the other hand puts out the fire around the book and where he was now laying. The embers were still hot, but certainly less of a threat. Demyx sits up. He tenses as he hears the floor creak from his sudden movement to the other side of the room. _Time to go!_

  
Demyx hurries to his feet and summons a portal again, this time allowing it to swallow him. The darkness of the corridor is refreshing after the stifling heat of the fire. Demyx flinches finally feeling the pain in his hands. The book’s cover was _metal_ , very hot metal. He could feel the heat burning his skin even through his gloves. Hastily he covers the cover in water trying to cool it quickly. It takes some extra work to make sure the pages don’t also get soaked. Demyx glances at the edges of the book. From the looks of it the edges were singed but most of the writing on the pages should still be readable.

  
Demyx is sure Saix will comment on the pitiful state the book was in but he didn’t care. He got it and the spells were still useable. Vexen or Zexion were probably going to copy the spells into their computer anyway.

  
Demyx hadn’t failed. _Not today Saix. Not today._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But yeah Demyx stole the medal from Olympus even if Sora got it back. I feel like that wasn't the first time Demyx was sent to steal a magical artifact. So I wrote of a mission gone wrong.


	12. Chrysalism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chrysalism - The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow we're finally to the chapter I previewed on my tumblr months ago. XD I hope you guys enjoy it! It's a Demyx and Larxene bonding? Positively interacting? chapter. This is the early days of the organization so they're both teens in this.

It was late. Well passed when even the older members went to bed. But Demyx didn’t really care how late it was. He sat on the floor of the lounge in front of the large floor to ceiling windows. It was dark outside. You could barely see the lights of the City that Never Was down below. But that wasn’t what Demyx was here to see. 

There was a flash! And then a crack and thadum! The window rattled slightly as the bright line of lightning ripped through the sky. The bolt hits one of the lightning rods on the buildings down below. Demyx gasps a small smile on his face.

“You know we’re not supposed to be wandering the halls this late.”

Demyx jumps at the sudden female voice. He turns to see the newest member standing in the doorway to the grey room. Larxene seemed younger than the other teens, but she still somehow seemed older than Demyx. Probably because of how annoying she was.

“Then why are you up?” Demyx crosses his arms pretty proud of his comeback.

Larxene huffs, rolling her eyes even if Demyx can’t see it in the dark. “Cause I’m smart enough to not get caught, stupid.”

“I’m not going to get caught!”

“I _literally_ just caught you. I could go tell Vexen or Xaldin right now.” She grins. “You’d be in so much trouble.”

“So would you!” Demyx hurries to his feet clearly not liking the idea of waking the adults. “Vexen would be super mad if you woke him up.” That is if the scientist was even asleep that night.

Larxene shrugs pretending not to care. “So what? You’d still get in more trouble than me.”

“You’d really get in trouble just to watch me get in trouble?”

“Yep.” Larxene pops the “p” smugly.

“But-but.” Demyx glances around not really able to make an argument against a statement like that. He sighs, shoulders dropping. “Fine, but can you wait until after the thunderstorm?”

“You really snuck out just to watch a light show?”

Demyx looks at his feet as he slightly nods. “Just like watchin' 'em.”

Larxene rolls her eyes. “Fine. Just move away from the center of the window so no one immediately sees you.”

Demyx looks up clearly not having expected that to be her answer. “Really? Great!” Next thing Larxene knows Demyx is grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards the windows.

“Wait! What are you doing?”

“You wanted to watch too. That’s why you’re up, right?”

Larxene doesn’t know how to react to the fact that Demyx immediately read her intentions. She yanks her hand out of Demyx’s grasp but keeps walking towards the windows.

“Don’t touch me. And that’s none of your business.”

Demyx grins but shrugs. They both know why she’s here and there was no point arguing to try and get her to admit it. Larxene sits off to the side out of the view of the doorway and Demyx joins her.

They both sit in silence. Just listening to the sound of rain hitting the window. It’s not long before the next crack of lightning and boom of thunder hits. They both grin as they watch it hit another of the buildings below.

The rest of the night goes on that way. They watch the lightning. Sometimes they count the seconds between flashes. The thunderstorm may be raging outside, but it was calming for the two occupants of the grey room. 

It’s very late by the time the rain slows and the lightning lessens. The two silently return to their rooms, satisfied. They mutually agree not to tell anyone about the evening without actually saying anything.

The next morning Saix has to deal with a very tired no. IX and no. XII.


	13. Vemodalen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vemodalen – The frustration of photographing something amazing when thousands of other identical photos already exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing too serious in this one. I gave him the gummiphone in this chapter before I knew about Remind. So I find it hilarious that it's cannon. Demyx uses Kingstagram all the freaking time you can't change my mine. He also invited this worlds version of Vine just by constantly posting short videos.

Demyx holds his new gummi phone up and snaps a picture. When he pulls the phone back closer to his face he frowns. The lighting was perfect, the picture was fully in focus, the angle was good, but he couldn’t help but feel like it looked like every other picture of the tower he had seen on Kingstagram. Roxas, Xion, and even Lea’s feeds were filled with pictures of the clock tower. It was the most obvious thing to take a picture of when in Twilight Town. And those three lived here. 

Demyx lifts up his phone to try again. Maybe at a different angle? When he looks through the view finder he’s surprised.   
Something was on the tower that hadn’t been a few seconds ago. Demyx zooms in as far as he can. When what he found comes into focus he grins. It was perfect!

Demyx quickly snaps a shot, before checking to see if the photo was good. Once he was sure he had gotten everything and it was clear what he had taken a picture of he opens Kingstagram.

He quickly makes a new post with the text. [Guess where I am? Looks like I got here just in time for ice cream.] Demyx grins as he gets a few quick responses. He looks up and waves at the figures waving down to him from the top of the clock tower. From the sounds of it they had never gotten a good group picture of everyone on the clock tower. It looked like Demyx found something special to take a picture of after all.


	14. Anecdoche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anecdoche – A conversation in which everyone is talking, but nobody is listening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! I completely forgot I still had a bunch of these to post. Luckily I still have the word doc they were all on so I can resume posting once a week without issue.

Demyx sits back in his chair with a look of amusement on his face. It was rare for him to find entertainment in the proceedings of round room meetings. But today’s topic had resulted in a fairly heated discussion.

“I just question the logic behind placing a neophyte in charge of our second base of operations.”

“Vexen are you challenging Xemnas’ ability to make such a decision?” Saix raises an eyebrow while looking down to where no. IV sat.

“Of course not. I am just uncertain that no. XI is prepared for such a position.”

“Oh come off it Vex, you know the guy’s ready. You just don’t like the idea of following the orders of one of the youngin’s.” Xigbar stepping in to back up Marluxia wasn’t really a surprise. The man had always been pushing to get Marluxia tougher missions. Even back when all of them were younger. He insisted Marluxia could “take anything you threw at him.”

“Surely no. IV would not let such a personal folly cloud his judgment?” It was impossible to see what Luxord could gain from either side of the argument. Demyx thinks the guy just likes a good debate.

“I will not let my research be put at risk by someone who cannot possibly understand its importance.” Everyone scoffs at this. Vexen’s fall back was always his research.

“If that is the issue then surely Zexion’s oversight should be enough to insure the tests go on uninterrupted.” Demyx has to turn in his seat slightly to see Lexeaus when he finally speaks.

Zexion uses the pause Lexeaus creates as an opening to speak his piece. “I assure you Superior I will not let anything disrupt the valuable information we can gather from a place like Castle Oblivion.” Zexion intentionally addresses Xemnas while ignoring the others actually in the discussion. He turns his attention to Vexen. “Surely you can see that it would be a waste of time for us to conduct our research and oversee the protection of the castle, Vexen.”

Vexen frowns but says nothing. Now that Lexeaus and Zexion have said their piece, Vexen will step back to their side, if reluctantly. With the way Zexion speaks everyone knows the conversation is done.

“If you boys are done bickering can we please get back to finishing the meeting? Some of us have places to be you know.” Demyx is surprised Larxene hadn’t stepped in earlier. Marluxia clearly was going to let the others argue it out without comment, perhaps he had told Larxene to do the same.

“Yes, there are still other matters that need to be discussed.” And with that Saix pulled the conversation back to the actual agenda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is on the shorter side because it's mostly dialogue. I wanted to mess around with a conversation that involved the whole organization. It's a lot of characters to keep track of but I feel I did alright. What do you guys think? Could you tell who everyone was?


	15. Ellipsism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellipsism – A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an Ava and khux centered chapter! You don't have to have played khux to get this just know it's how Edym sees the Ancient Keyblade War.

_Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?_

Edym sadly watches some older kids run across the court yard. The tension between the unions had been getting worse by the day. Arguments broke out constantly and it was only a matter of time before someone pulled a keyblade on someone.

Gula had been having the parties in his Union go on double the amount of missions each day. He firmly believed he was the only one that could be trusted to summon Kingdom Hearts. Edym wasn’t sure if that was even possible anymore. The other unions had too much of the lux stored up. The only way to get enough would be to figh-. Edym shivers. Things were going down a dark path and he didn’t know what to do.

“Elrena would know.” He hadn’t seen his sister in nearly two months. Edym couldn’t help but wonder what she was doing. _Probably collecting lux for her Union._

“Everyone only seems to care about Lux these days.” He wasn’t talking to anyone, just mumbling his worries out loud. His party members and him had started to become distant. They were dead set on finding as much Lux as possible and he couldn’t care less.

_Come on Edym you usually collect way more Lux than this._

_Are you sick or something?_

_You holding back on us?_

_Maybe he’s just gotten lazy._

Edym lets out a frustrated whine as he slides down the wall and curls up in a ball on the ground. “Why can’t all this just stop?”

“Because it is fated by the book of prophecies.”

Edym looks up startled. He hadn’t expected anyone to answer his hypothetical question. Before Edym stood a woman wearing a pink fox mask.

“Master Ava.” Edym had never met her in person, but had heard the stories.

A small smile forms from under the bottom of the mask. “Yes, and who would you be?”

“Uh I’m Edym.”

“Hello Edym, it is nice to meet you.”

“Nice too. I mean uh you too. Nice to meet you too.” Edym could not hide his nervousness when it came to talking to one of the masters. Master Ava giggles and it relieves some of his nerves.

“Sorry to pry, but why are you here Master Ava?”

She collects herself, a calm smile staying on her face. “I was here to check on young wielders like you.”

“That’s nice Master Ava, but I’m uh I’m not in your Union.” Edym is flustered at the idea that Master Ava would have a reason to talk to someone like him.

“I am aware.” Ava’s smile turns sad. “But we should try to help anyone we can in times like these.”

Edym quickly nods his agreement. “I want to help. But that’s something for the older kids to do.”

“Age does not matter. If you think you should help someone, then help them.” Master Ava’s tone turns serious. “Tell me Edym. Would you help them? If someone needed help would you do it regardless of what side they are on?”

 _Sides?_ Edym didn’t like to think of the different Unions as sides. But it was clear that was where things were heading. And Edym knew his answer. He looks up at Master Ava with a determined expression.

“Yes, if someone needs help and I can help, I will help. I promise.”

Ava smiles and holds out a hand to help him up. “That’s a pretty big promise to keep.” He takes the hand and stands up. Even standing he’s still shorter than her. “But it is a good promise. If you follow your heart, I’m sure you can keep it.”

Edym grins up at the keyblade master. “Thanks Master Ava.”

“I am pulling together a group of friends from different Unions to help when things go bad. Would you like to join them?”

“Of course Master Ava, I want to help as much as I can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact! The Hamilton quote was on the rough draft back in December! Long before Disney+ released the musical. I don't think Disney+ was even out yet. Last December feels like a different decade. . . oh wait :p
> 
> When it comes to Marluxia, Larxene, Luxord, and Demyx. I tend to see Demyx as the youngest. Even in Japanese he has the speech pattern of high-schooler or rude young adult. ex. calling Xigbar the Japanese equivalent of gramps.
> 
> Since I see Demyx as the youngest and Lauriam and Elrena are 15-16 at the most in khux. That makes Edym pretty young when the first keyblade war started I'd say 12-13. Sure player character had that weird complicated test, but Ava also just walked up to the new Union leaders on the hill apparently. I feel like Ava would have picked Edym based on the qualities of his heart and so wrote out this scene of a scared preteen not ready to fight his friends. 
> 
> I thought it would be an interesting twist for Demyx's "greatest weakness", his reluctance to fight, to be the reason Ava picked him as a dandelion. Ava wanting a peace keeper, a neutral party that would look at both sides makes sense. Also the definition this week is about Ava not Edym. She's putting together a team for a future she will never see.


	16. Kuebiko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuebiko – A state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An interesting conversation between Demyx, Elrena, and Lauriam after kh3.

“There’s been how many keyblade wars?”

“Three, with a possible fourth on the way.”

Demyx’s shoulders sag at the news. He had already dealt with one and memories were slowly coming back of another he was probably involved in. The idea of being dragged into another one so soon was exhausting.

“That’s not what I wanted to hear you say Lauriam.” The pink haired man sighs; he shares a look with Elrena. Demyx can’t piece together what they silently communicate, but Elrena looks ready to start talking.

“Look none of us want another war. We’ve fought in enough of these. Hell even Light patrol over there deserves a break. But this next fight isn’t going to wait for us to have a vacation.”

“You guys were supposed to go off and find answers to our past. Not come back knowing about another end of the world scenario.”

Elrena scoffs crossing her arms. “Who do you think is behind the new scenario stupid?”

“Someone from our past?”

“Ding ding ding, give the boy a prize.”

“Elrena.”

“What? It’s going to take forever to explain anyway.”

“Look just give me the quick version okay? Who’s trying to kill us and what do they have to do with that past you guys remember but I don’t?” They share another look and Demyx wants to pop his lid. What were they hesitating about?

“When we were children there was a group of masters that set out to train the next generation of keyblade wielders.”

“And they decided to train us. You already dropped that bombshell on me Lauriam.” Demyx still found it hard to believe _he_ had had a keyblade once. But he had seen Elrena’s before so that part of the story had to be true.

“Those masters were called the Foretellers and they are the reason the Ancient Keyblade war happened.”

“Wait, are you saying our masters started the war?”

“And had a bunch of kids fight in it? Yep. Pretty fucked up right?” Elrena sounded furious, Demyx can only assume it’s because she remembers fighting in this war and he doesn’t.

“Those acts of violence and carnage were atrocious. That is why we cannot allow them to happen again.”

“Well yeah I can agree with that. But why do you think it’ll happen again? I thought Xehanort was supposed to be that second keyblade war?”

“He was and I am ashamed to say we helped him.”

“Beating him must have messed with something because now the Foretellers are back.”

Demyx groans. “Let me guess. To finish what they started?”

“You’d guess right.”

Lauriam offers Demyx his hand. “So what do you say? Are you willing to fight with us again, Edym?”

Demyx stares at the offered hand weighing his options. This would be the third keyblade war he was dragged into. He could say no and walk away and no one would expect any less from him. But it wasn’t fair to leave the heroes to fight _their_ masters.

“Alright.” Demyx takes Lauriam’s hand and Lauriam smiles. “Just don’t expect me to do all the heavy lifting.”

“Like you’ve lifted more than a sandwich in the last month.”

“Hey I’ve lifted my Sitar plenty of times! And she’s really heavy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something tells me Lauriam and Elrena are going to be the first to learn the foretellers are back. Them showing up to tell Ventus and in this case Edym makes sense.
> 
> Next weeks one shot might take a bit since I still haven't written it and am struggling with the prompt.

**Author's Note:**

> One-shot's will be posted every Saturday!


End file.
